Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows (Book 7)

Amazon.com

Readers beware. The brilliant, breathtaking conclusion to J.K. Rowling's spellbinding series is not for the faint of heart--such revelations, battles, and betrayals await in Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows that no fan will make it to the end unscathed. Luckily, Rowling has prepped loyal readers for the end of her series by doling out increasingly dark and dangerous tales of magic and mystery, shot through with lessons about honor and contempt, love and loss, and right and wrong. Fear not, you will find no spoilers in our review--to tell the plot would ruin the journey, and Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows is an odyssey the likes of which Rowling's fans have not yet seen, and are not likely to forget. But we would be remiss if we did not offer one small suggestion before you embark on your final adventure with Harry--bring plenty of tissues.

The heart of Book 7 is a hero's mission--not just in Harry's quest for the Horcruxes, but in his journey from boy to man--and Harry faces more danger than that found in all six books combined, from the direct threat of the Death Eaters and you-know-who, to the subtle perils of losing faith in himself. Attentive readers would do well to remember Dumbledore's warning about making the choice between "what is right and what is easy," and know that Rowling applies the same difficult principle to the conclusion of her series. While fans will find the answers to hotly speculated questions about Dumbledore, Snape, and you-know-who, it is a testament to Rowling's skill as a storyteller that even the most astute and careful reader will be taken by surprise.

A spectacular finish to a phenomenal series, Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows is a bittersweet read for fans. The journey is hard, filled with events both tragic and triumphant, the battlefield littered with the bodies of the dearest and despised, but the final chapter is as brilliant and blinding as a phoenix's flame, and fans and skeptics alike will emerge from the confines of the story with full but heavy hearts, giddy and grateful for the experience. --Daphne Durham

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Begin at the Beginning

Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone

Hardcover
Paperback Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets

Hardcover
Paperback Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban

Hardcover
Paperback Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire

Hardcover
Paperback Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix

Hardcover
Paperback Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince

Hardcover
Paperback

Why We Love Harry
Favorite Moments from the Series
There are plenty of reasons to love Rowling's wildly popular series--no doubt you have several dozen of your own. Our list features favorite moments, characters, and artifacts from the first five books. Keep in mind that this list is by no means exhaustive (what we love about Harry could fill ten books!) and does not include any of the spectacular revelatory moments that would spoil the books for those (few) who have not read them. Enjoy.

Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone

* Harry's first trip to the zoo with the Dursleys, when a boa constrictor winks at him.
* When the Dursleys' house is suddenly besieged by letters for Harry from Hogwarts. Readers learn how much the Dursleys have been keeping from Harry. Rowling does a wonderful job in displaying the lengths to which Uncle Vernon will go to deny that magic exists.
* Harry's first visit to Diagon Alley with Hagrid. Full of curiosities and rich with magic and marvel, Harry's first trip includes a trip to Gringotts and Ollivanders, where Harry gets his wand (holly and phoenix feather) and discovers yet another connection to He-Who-Must-No-Be-Named. This moment is the reader's first full introduction to Rowling's world of witchcraft and wizards.
* Harry's experience with the Sorting Hat.

Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets

* The de-gnoming of the Weasleys' garden. Harry discovers that even wizards have chores--gnomes must be grabbed (ignoring angry protests "Gerroff me! Gerroff me!"), swung about (to make them too dizzy to come back), and tossed out of the garden--this delightful scene highlights Rowling's clever and witty genius.
* Harry's first experience with a Howler, sent to Ron by his mother.
* The Dueling Club battle between Harry and Malfoy. Gilderoy Lockhart starts the Dueling Club to help students practice spells on each other, but he is not prepared for the intensity of the animosity between Harry and Draco. Since they are still young, their minibattle is innocent enough, including tickling and dancing charms.

Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban

* Ron's attempt to use a telephone to call Harry at the Dursleys'.
* Harry's first encounter with a Dementor on the train (and just about any other encounter with Dementors). Harry's brush with the Dementors is terrifying and prepares Potter fans for a darker, scarier book.
* Harry, Ron, and Hermione's behavior in Professor Trelawney's Divination class. Some of the best moments in Rowling's books occur when she reminds us that the wizards-in-training at Hogwarts are, after all, just children. Clearly, even at a school of witchcraft and wizardry, classes can be boring and seem pointless to children.
* The Boggart lesson in Professor Lupin's classroom.
* Harry, Ron, and Hermione's knock-down confrontation with Snape.

Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire

* Hermione's disgust at the reception for the veela (Bulgarian National Team Mascots) at the Quidditch World Cup. Rowling's fourth book addresses issues about growing up--the dynamic between the boys and girls at Hogwarts starts to change. Nowhere is this more plain than the hilarious scene in which magical cheerleaders nearly convince Harry and Ron to jump from the stands to impress them.
* Viktor Krum's crush on Hermione--and Ron's objection to it.
* Malfoy's "Potter Stinks" badge.
* Hermione's creation of S.P.E.W., the intolerant bigotry of the Death Eaters, and the danger of the Triwizard Tournament. Add in the changing dynamics between girls and boys at Hogwarts, and suddenly Rowling's fourth book has a weight and seriousness not as present in early books in the series. Candy and tickle spells are left behind as the students tackle darker, more serious issues and take on larger responsibilities, including the knowledge of illegal curses.

Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix

* Harry's outburst to his friends at No. 12 Grimmauld Place. A combination of frustration over being kept in the dark and fear that he will be expelled fuels much of Harry's anger, and it all comes out at once, directly aimed at Ron and Hermione. Rowling perfectly portrays Harry's frustration at being too old to shirk responsibility, but too young to be accepted as part of the fight that he knows is coming.
* Harry's detention with Professor Umbridge. Rowling shows her darker side, leading readers to believe that Hogwarts is no longer a safe haven for young wizards. Dolores represents a bureaucratic tyrant capable of real evil, and Harry is forced to endure their private battle of wills alone.
* Harry and Cho's painfully awkward interactions. Rowling clearly remembers what it was like to be a teenager.
* Harry's Occlumency lessons with Snape.
* Dumbledore's confession to Harry.

Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince

* The introduction of the Horcrux.
* Molly Weasley asking Arthur Weasley about his "dearest ambition." Rowling has always been great at revealing little intriguing bits about her characters at a time, and Arthur's answer "to find out how airplanes stay up" reminds us about his obsession with Muggles.
* Harry's private lessons with Dumbledore, and more time spent with the fascinating and dangerous pensieve, arguably one of Rowling's most ingenious inventions.
* Fred and George Weasley's Joke Shop, and the slogan: "Why Are You Worrying About You-Know-Who? You Should Be Worrying About U-NO-POO--the Constipation Sensation That's Gripping the Nation!"
* Luna's Quidditch commentary. Rowling created scores of Luna Lovegood fans with hilarious and bizarre commentary from the most unlikely Quidditch commentator.
* The effects of Felix Felicis.

Magic, Mystery, and Mayhem: A Conversation with J.K. Rowling

"I am an extraordinarily lucky person, doing what I love best in the world. I'm sure that I will always be a writer. It was wonderful enough just to be published. The greatest reward is the enthusiasm of the readers." --J.K. Rowling

Find out more about Harry's creator in our exclusive interview with J.K. Rowling.

Did You Know?

The Little White Horse was J.K. Rowling's favorite book as a child. Jane Austen is Rowling's favorite author. Roddy Doyle is Rowling's favorite living writer.

A Few Words from Mary GrandPré

"When I illustrate a cover or a book, I draw upon what the author tells me; that's how I see my responsibility as an illustrator. J.K. Rowling is very descriptive in her writing--she gives an illustrator a lot to work with. Each story is packed full of rich visual descriptions of the atmosphere, the mood, the setting, and all the different creatures and people. She makes it easy for me. The images just develop as I sketch and retrace until it feels right and matches her vision." Check out more Harry Potter art from illustrator Mary GrandPré.

Customer Reviews:

Fabulous Book.......2007-10-10

As always, JK Rowling has done an amazing job with this book. It's a shame the series has ended.

Great Ending for the Harry Potter Books.......2007-10-10

I really enjoyed this book. I am not sure how she would end the series but I think that she did it perfectly.

"Bless the children, give them triumph now." Aeschylus.......2007-10-10

From absolutely nothing, a blank page, a blank world, comes the dream, vision, saga, magic, drama, and epic of Harry Potter. What spark ignited in J.K. Rowling's brain that set this entire super-reality into motion and melded together a huge plot on a massive canvas that goes beyond the known world into an incredible, shocking, frightening, but always entertaining world? It must be what genius is about. As the final coda to this modern-day equivalent of Ulysess, "Deathly Hallows" brings together all the characters we have previously met and draws the action to its bald-faced basics. Good is looking squarely into the eyes of evil. Battles rage, the action rushes forward, amazing tales are told, and everything I've ever liked about this series is magnified times ten as Harry, Ron, and Hermione seek to accomplish the extraordinary mission Dumbledore has bequeathed to Harry.

Who is Harry to the reader? Is he not the embodiment of the reader's better self, a nonhero whose spirit of loyalty, humanity, kindness, and love drive him into heroic action? His genuine nature is what we all see ourselves as having. He is the innocent who has been thrust into a complex and duplicitous world of pain and suffering merely by the act of being born. He is also the literary orphan seeking the mythic lost father and mother. His only real family are his friends and his only real home his beloved school. He is a deeply sympathetic figure who speaks to whatever has been lost within ourselves and he symbolizes our yearning and hope to defeat those inexplicable losses. Voldemart: who can really explain his nature? Such an evil character is as old as the Old Testament. He is a fallen angel with amazing powers that only an unlikely but utterly sincere figure can defeat. Voldemart is death itself, the ultimate evil that humanity must face.

"Deathly Hallows" brings out the best of J.K. Rowling's writing style. I was surprised a number of times here by her good prose, as I've grown used to her straight-ahead action-driven writing that generally is flat and simple. The action has always been what the language has been about, not brilliant metaphors or stirring feats of linguistic art. Surely she is no Homer or James Joyce. But she possesses the visionary imagination of a genius. As I began, so shall I end. Harry Potter is a wonder, a world unto itself, well worth entering.

The best of the series, and that's saying a lot!.......2007-10-09

I'm part of the increasing adult fan base of JK Rowling's. Having read all six of the earlier books, I was apprehensive about reading the last one. Firstly, I didn't want such a good thing to come to an end. Secondly, I was convinced that she would not be able to keep up her previous level of excellence. I was wrong! The final book was without a doubt the best in the series.

In his quest to find the Horacruxes, Harry discovers some difficult lessons about friendship with both the dead and the living. He learns surprising things, teaching us all that we must go far beyond the surface in order to see the depth of a human soul and measure the value of an entire human lifespan.

Action-packed from the get-go, we are taken on a startling adventure with so many twists and turns that we hardly have time to catch our breath. But every event is credible and leads towards the complex, brilliant and inevitable conclusion.

Although, like Star Wars, HP has always been about the battle between right and wrong and good and evil, we discover that the latter is set in stone whereas the former has many shades of gray; people are fallible and make mistakes or do things that don't always look so stellar at the time. When Harry discovers surprising things about the people in his life, forgiveness comes to him easily, along with his other magnificent traits of bravery, persistence, ingenuity and loyalty.

This is the first Potter book that I've actually read in print, having preferred to listen to the others on audio because of the marvelous English accent. I'm quite sure that I will listen to this book as well, and am very tempted to go back to the first book and start reading them all over again!

Hats off to you, Ms. Rowling! Who else could combine such originality, imagination, humor, moral tales and compulsively enjoyable reading?

Sigrid Macdonald
Ottawa, Ontario

A wonderful ending.......2007-10-08

What can I say? I am more happy and more satisfied with the ending J.K. Rowling put to this monumental series than I even thought I would be. Harry is now and always will be a part of my life. Dramatic? Maybe. But Rowling changed the way I read, and the way I look at books. It was Harry who first opened my eyes to the world of Fantasy-Fiction. Instead of occationally finding a book that tickled my fancy (once or twice every 2-3 years,) Now I contantly have a STACK of 5-10 books waiting to be read and I am rarely disapointed by any of them. Thank you J.K. Rowling, for helping me to realize that I bit of Magic makes everyday worth living.

Checking the Waste (A Study in Conservation)

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Checking the Waste (A Study in Conservation)
Huston Mary Gregory
Manufacturer: IndyPublish
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

Conservation | Environment | Outdoors & Nature | Subjects | Books

General | Conservation | Outdoors & Nature | Subjects | Books
ASIN: 1428089950

Harry Potter Hardcover Box Set (Books 1-6)

Average customer rating:

HARRY POTTER!
Simply Great
Outstanding delivery time
Harry Potter Hardcover Box Set Books 1-6
Awsome Books!!

Harry Potter Hardcover Box Set (Books 1-6)
J. K. Rowling
Manufacturer: Arthur A. Levine Books
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

Humorous | Literature | Children's Books | Subjects | Books

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ASIN: 0439827604

Book Description

Harry's first six years of magic, mystery, and adventure at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry are now available in a handsome hardcover boxed set. Includes books one through six: Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone; Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets; Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban; Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire; Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix; and the most recent addition to the bestselling series, Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince.

Customer Reviews:

HARRY POTTER!.......2007-10-05

These books are a must read for all ages. Even if you are skeptical, try them out. I promise you will love them.

Simply Great.......2007-09-27

Simply Great worth the time to read. I know everyone says this about every book but they are soooo much better than the movies.

Outstanding delivery time.......2007-09-21

Just wanted to say how pleased I was with the quick delivery of the Harry Potter Book Set. It arrived quicker that I expected it to and was exactly what I was looking for.

Harry Potter Hardcover Box Set Books 1-6.......2007-09-16

I bought this set for my 23 year old for her birthday. Two of our other children enticed her into reading Harry Potter. She really wanted the set and so the entire family pitched in to get it for her. She loved it. She was so excited. I have read the Harry Potter series myself except for number seven, which I am going to do soon. The entire series deserves a five star rating. Ordering from Amazon was easy, fast and efficient. The books were shipped promptly and were everything Amazon said they would be. I love ordering from Amazon and will continue to do so in the future.

Awsome Books!!.......2007-09-15

These Harry Potter books are very awsome to read young and adults alike!! I purchased these as set and glad it did. Will be treasure forever!! Recommend to Read!!

Guide to Managerial Communication (7th Edition) (Guide to Series in Business Communication)

Average customer rating:

outrageous price
Excellent book
Essential Reading

Guide to Managerial Communication (7th Edition) (Guide to Series in Business Communication)
Mary Munter
Manufacturer: Prentice Hall
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

Communications | Skills | Business & Investing | Subjects | Books

Running Meetings & Presentations | Skills | Business & Investing | Subjects | Books

General | Business & Investing | Subjects | Books

Management | Management & Leadership | Business & Investing | Subjects | Books

All Titles | Qualifying Textbooks - Fall 2007 | Stores | Books

Business & Investing | Qualifying Textbooks - Fall 2007 | Stores | Books
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ASIN: 0131467042

Customer Reviews:

outrageous price.......2006-11-21

This is perhaps the most expensive book besides collectables. Judging from the size and amount of information, it probably worths $5 - but I had to buy it simply because the professor uses it as textbook.
Granted that this is a book for business management professionals or to-be's, but this does not mean the book should be this expensive. You'll know what I mean when you see the book. I think they they are taking advantage of that fact that most people buy this book get reimbursed - my self for one will get reimbursement from my company, but I resent the fact that I have to buy such an expensive book and waste my company's money only because I have to. This is robbery - it's not printing book, it's more like printing money.

Excellent book.......2006-08-01

This is a short and concise book . I used it in one of my graduate courses, and found it very helpful.

Essential Reading.......2006-02-25

I used a previous edition of Ms. Munter's book as a text in a graduate course in management communications. The latest edition adds some new subjects and is still one of the best books on the subject. If you could only have one book on this subject this would be a good choice. Even though this book covers a broad base of communication skills (strategy, written, verbal and non-verbal, typography, graphical and prepresentation skills), each subject is covered in considerable depth. This book should be on the office shelf of every manager who needs to communicate effectively.

Gender and Disorder in Early Modern Seville

Average customer rating:

Excellent portrait of women in history

Gender and Disorder in Early Modern Seville
Mary Elizabeth Perry
Manufacturer: Princeton Univ Pr
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

Spain | Europe | History | Subjects | Books

General | World | History | Subjects | Books

Social History | Historical Study | History | Subjects | Books

General | Politics | Nonfiction | Subjects | Books

General | Social Sciences | Nonfiction | Subjects | Books

Feminist Theory | Women's Studies | Nonfiction | Subjects | Books
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ASIN: 0691031436

Book Description

In this exploration of crisis in Counter-Reformation Spain, Mary Elizabeth Perry reveals the significance of gender for social order by portraying the lives of women who lived on the margins of respectability--prostitutes, healers, visionaries, and other deviants who provoked the concern of a growing central government linked closely to the church. Focusing on Seville, the commercial capital of Habsburg Spain, Perry uses rich archival sources to document the economic and spiritual activity of women, and efforts made by civil and church authorities to control this activity, during a period of local economic change and religious turmoil.

In analyzing such sources as art and literature from the period, women's writings, Inquisition records, and laws and regulations, Perry finds that social definitions of what it meant to be a woman or a man persisted due to their sanctification by religious ideas and their adaptation into political order. She describes the tension between gender ideals and actual conditions in women's lives, and shows how some women subverted the gender order by using a surprisingly wide variety of intellectual and physical strategies.

Customer Reviews:

Excellent portrait of women in history.......2001-02-08

This is a great study of the roles of women in early modern Spain. Normally, books of this nature focus on women of the nobility or elite classes. However, Perry takes an indepth look at such women as prostitutes and healers. The author also incorporates many personal stories reconstructed from a variety of sources such as court records or Inquisitional records. This is definitely a book for all with the care the author has taken in presenting a "readable" account.

Having a Mary Heart in a Martha World: Finding Intimacy With God in the Busyness of Life (Revised Edition with New Bible Study)

Average customer rating:

Great for today's fast-paced women
Not very Mary
Best Devotional Commentary on a Popular Passage
Inspirational
Grew our personal relationship with God

Having a Mary Heart in a Martha World: Finding Intimacy With God in the Busyness of Life (Revised Edition with New Bible Study)
Joanna Weaver
Manufacturer: WaterBrook Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

General | Religion & Spirituality | Subjects | Books
Similar Items:

ASIN: 1578562589
Release Date: 2002-04-16

Book Description

Updated with a new 12 week companion Bible study, Joanna Weaver's popular book shows women how to blend intimacy with Jesus and service for Him.

An invitation for every woman who feels she isn't godly enough...isn't loving enough...isn't doing enough

The life of a woman today isn't really all that different from that of Mary and Martha in the New Testament. Like Mary, you long to sit at the Lord's feet...but the daily demands of a busy world just won't leave you alone. Like Martha, you love Jesus and really want to serve him...yet you struggle with weariness, resentment, and feelings of inadequacy.

Then comes Jesus, right into the midst of your busy Mary/Martha life-and he extends the same invitation he issued long ago to the two sisters of Bethany. Tenderly he invites you to choose "the better part"-a joyful life of "living-room" intimacy with him that flows naturally into "kitchen service" for him.

How can you make that choice? With her fresh approach to the familiar Bible story and its creative, practical strategies, Joanna shows how all of us-Marys and Marthas alike-can draw closer to our Lord, deepening our devotion, strengthening our service, and doing both with less stress and greater joy.

Customer Reviews:

Great for today's fast-paced women.......2007-10-01

I'm only in chapter 2 but I'm enjoying the parallels from Mary and Martha's life to my busy, fast-paced life. It's a good reminder to slow down and I think this is a message many women need to hear today. I highly recommend this book!

Not very Mary.......2007-09-21

This book should maybe have been written by co-authors, a Martha and a Mary.

I've always identified more with Mary, and for me the author didn't really capture her spirit. Ms. Weaver comes across as a struggling Martha trying to be more Mary, writing down Martha-esque strategies and tips for being more Mary. Perhaps she captures a mid-struggle Martha well, but she never gets very far into the heart of Mary.

An example from the book:

"You've known the Lord your whole life, and yet you haven't found the peace and fulfillment you've always longed for."

That's a very Marthaesque statement; it speaks to working very hard to live a Christian life without recognizing what God really wants from you. I don't even understand or relate to that experience (as a Mary, my struggles are in different areas). How do you know the Lord and not know peace? A Mary might have said it like this - "Peace and fulfillment found me and I was powerless to resist; I'm not sure how it happened, but his name was Jesus. Hallelujah!"

The author also gets overwraught with her struggles as a Martha. I'm not sure Jesus was condemning Martha for being task-oriented. Society can't function without task-oriented people. All he seems to be saying is that when God shows up at your door, spend the time being present with him. I'm not sure he's asking Martha to change who she is - he just seems to be saying "I'm here. Take a load off and spend some time getting to know me, Martha heart and all."

It appears that a lot of women who have enjoyed this study identify with Martha. If you identify with Martha and are looking for a book that will help you articulate your frustrations, this might be a good book for you. I'm not sure it has any great answers. I agree with other reviewers who commented that Ms. Weaver wasn't old enough to write this and offer mature wisdom.

Best Devotional Commentary on a Popular Passage.......2007-09-17

I've read a lot of commentaries over the years that deal with the Martha and Mary passage in Luke 10:38-42. None of them enable the reader to apply the truths there as this book does. While this title is directed primarily toward women, men can learn much from it as well. What Joanna Weaver does here is to promote a balance between the productive Martha and the pensive Mary. She describes the value of both, although acknowledging that most of today's women have far more problems with the Mary side of the equation than with the Martha side. This book would make a great women's Bible study -- in fact, several ladies in my church are using it for that very purpose. This title is excellent -- I recommend it highly!

Inspirational .......2007-08-30

We have been using this book, A Mary Heart in a Marth World", in our bible studies on Wednesdays and what a blessing it has been! It is aimed towards women but men will enjoy it just as much. And you won't believe the conversations it sparks! It's an excellent source of information and inspiration that you can use again and again!

Grew our personal relationship with God.......2007-08-01

We did this as a 6 week summer Bible Study (two chapters a week). We met in the evening at different public locations and prayed and discussed the study guide questions. All of us REALLY enjoyed the study! It has made us want to have a more intimate relationship with our Lord. We feel convicted and rejuvenated.

Average customer rating:

Excellent!!!
Scandalous!
Life in the court of Henry the VIII....not all it is cracked up to be
couldn't put it down
Historical fiction with a new twist

The Other Boleyn Girl
Philippa Gregory
Manufacturer: Touchstone
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 0743227441

Book Description

Two sisters competing for the greatest prize: the love of a king

When Mary Boleyn comes to court as an innocent girl of fourteen, she catches the eye of Henry VIII. Dazzled by the king, Mary falls in love with both her golden prince and her growing role as unofficial queen. However, she soon realizes just how much she is a pawn in her familys ambitious plots as the kings interest begins to wane and she is forced to step aside for her best friend and rival: her sister, Anne. Then Mary knows that she must defy her family and her king, and take her fate into her own hands.

A rich and compelling tale of love, sex, ambition, and intrigue, The Other Boleyn Girl introduces a woman of extraordinary determination and desire who lived at the heart of the most exciting and glamorous court in Europe and survived by following her own heart.

Download Description

"Two sisters competing for the greatest prize: the love of a king When Mary Boleyn comes to court as an innocent girl of fourteen, she catches the eye of Henry VIII. Dazzled by the king, Mary falls in love with both her golden prince and her growing role as unofficial queen. However, she soon realizes just how much she is a pawn in her family's ambitious plots as the king's interest begins to wane and she is forced to step aside for her best friend and rival: her sister, Anne. Then Mary knows that she must defy her family and her king, and take her fate into her own hands. A rich and compelling tale of love, sex, ambition, and intrigue, The Other Boleyn Girl introduces a woman of extraordinary determination and desire who lived at the heart of the most exciting and glamorous court in Europe and survived by following her own heart. "

Customer Reviews:

Excellent!!!.......2007-10-10

This book was fantastic! I've never had an interest in English history before and now I find I'm obsessed. Well written and engaging. It's hard to put down!

Scandalous!.......2007-10-09

I admit, at first I thought this book was a bit of fluff. I realized it wasn't when I found myself unable to leave the story to so much as eat. Don't give up if you've just begun, this book will take you on a ride of intrigue, scandal, ambition, lust, incest and greed. The writing seemed very simple to me, but the story was complex enough to fill in the gap. I loved reading about the Tudors and although I knew it wasn't entirely true, the story was entertaining & shocking enough to keep me reading until the last word.

This story is told from Mary Boleyn's point of view and and tells the tale of the Boleyn family's ambition to get the to the top of the English crown, no matter what the cost...and oh what prices they pay! Mary was chosen by her family to put herself in the king's (Henry VIII) favor (mainly with sex) to rise to the top to benefit her family. Everything seemed to be going well for Mary until her highly ambitious and beautiful sister Anne came to court and stole all of her thunder and did whatever it took her to get what she wanted, and more. In the king's quest for an heir, a son, he leads the country to the height of scandal by divorcing Queen Katherine, who is barren, to open the door for a new marriage...perhaps to a Boleyn.

It's interesting to see the dynamic between Anne, Mary and their brother, George. Rivals from the crib, Anne and Mary were born to be in competition with eachother and were raised for the sole purpose of landing an advantagous marriage. Anne will stop at nothing to land a sucessful marriage to a duke and once that prospect is squashed she goes straight for the heart of the country...the king. She is a shameless, uncaring, evil, ambitious woman, but something about her makes you root for her, in a sick way. For years and years she stops at nothing to get what she wants, but the road she takes to get there is wrought with scandal that puts Anne and her family of unwilling supporters in grave danger.

If you want an engaging read, this is it. How many times did I say the word scandalous in this review? A bunch? That's because it is! Read it, you won't regret it. Also, I think thay are making a movie that is to come out this winter. It's a great time to take in the book.

Life in the court of Henry the VIII....not all it is cracked up to be.......2007-10-08

This is an amazing historical fiction about Mary, the sister of Anne Boleyn. The historical details make you feel as if you are really there. It seems to be very historically accurate as well. I mostly enjoyed reading it... except that after a while the politically charged, cruel, and sometimes evil feel of the life at Henry the VIII's court can be smothering. Towards the end I just wanted to be done with it.

couldn't put it down.......2007-10-07

this was a great book. I did not like the Constant Princess, so I hesitated to read this book. Great story, great writing. Really couldn't put it down.

Historical fiction with a new twist.......2007-10-01

This book kept me riveted even though it is a long book; I didn't want to stop reading it. It certainly made the reign of King Henry VIII interesting! It also points out the sad fate of women in those days. But the main character, Mary Bolyn overcomes her fate by following her heart. This has been my favorite book this year, full of love, sex and ambition., and it is based on a true story!

Average customer rating:

I was sorry to have it end
Misleading Reviews
unreadable
Another magical story from Mary Balogh
Regency Mystery

Simply Magic
Mary Balogh
Manufacturer: Delacorte Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

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ASIN: 0385338236
Release Date: 2007-03-27

Book Description

On a splendid August afternoon Susanna Osbourne is introduced to the most handsome man she has ever seen . . . and instantly feels the icy chill of recognition. Peter Edgeworth, Viscount Whitleaf, is utterly charming—and seemingly unaware that they have met before. With his knowing smile and seductive gaze, Peter acts the rake; but he stirs something in Susanna she has never felt before, a yearning that both frightens and dazzles her. Instantly she knows: this brash nobleman poses a threat to her heart . . . and to the secrets she guards so desperately.

From the moment they meet, Peter is drawn to Susanna’s independence, dazzled by her sharp wit—he simply must have her. But the more he pursues, the more Susanna withdraws . . . until a sensual game of thrust-and-parry culminates in a glorious afternoon of passion. Now more determined than ever to keep her by his side, Peter begins to suspect that a tragic history still haunts Susanna. And as he moves closer to the truth, Peter is certain of one thing: he will defy the mysteries of her past for a future with this exquisite creature—all Susanna must do is trust him with the most precious secret of all. . . .

Customer Reviews:

I was sorry to have it end.......2007-09-19

which is ironic when you consider that, first, I hesitated in buying it and, then had it for two months before getting around to starting it!

I was turned off by some of the lukewarm reviews which sort of echoed annoyances I felt with previous books (the never-ending presence of the Bedwins, the ever-recurring use of the the ducal quizzing glass, etc.) Yes, they were there but they didn't detract from the book at all. An imperfect Mary Balogh is still so much better than a perfect any-other-regency-novelist that it doesn't matter at all.

As is usual in her novels, the characters are completely believable: in character development, in their actions and reactions, in their time and place, in the balance between their imperfections, virtues and motivations, and in their passage through the plot from beginning to end.

Nothing wildly dramatic happens in the plot. This isn't an adventure, a mystery, a conflict, a comedy or a drama, at least not any more or any less than a slice of real life is any (or all) of the above. The plot is character driven and well-paced. It is not psycho-babble, but insights into the thoughts and feelings of intelligent and imperfect human beings who make and admit mistakes and try, as all of us do, to grow from our experiences and to try to do what is right when confronted with the temptations, challenges, and opportunities that this particular moment of their lives present.

It is sometimes hard to believe that these are not real people which explains why, after reaching into yourself and relating--with genuine interest, empathy, and warmth--to some part of each of them, it is so hard to let them go.

Misleading Reviews.......2007-08-31

As a long-time Balogh fan, I was hesitant to buy this book after some of the extremely negative reviews. I'm glad I did. A self-effacing, kind, charming, cheerful hero and a buoyant, energetic, loving heroine, both intelligent and striving towards maturity, are lovingly portrayed in all their insights and lack thereof. Granted, the book is more a study of individual emotional evolution than action, but the couple is charming, their development believeable, and, as always, Ms Balogh brings it all together with the most complete of happy endings--something THIS reader of romances truly appreciates. Unless you just have to have serious threats, conflicts, crimes and mayhem in your romances, you'll enjoy it!

unreadable.......2007-07-18

I am a long-time fan of Mary Balogh--but about three or four books back something went terribly wrong. So--got this from the library instead--and stopped about 30 pages in. Back it goes.

Read her old Signet paperbacks if you want to know why people love(d) her, not this wince-inspiring mishmash of recycled themes she did better 10 or 15 years ago.

Another magical story from Mary Balogh.......2007-07-13

Mary Balogh's consistently high standard of writing is once again shown in "Simply Magic", the third of her 'Simply' Quartet ("Simply Unforgettable," and "Simply Love" precede this book). The events in this book take place largely at the same time as those in "Simply Love" and in fact some scenes are the same as we see the story from Susanna Osborne's view.

Susanna Osborne is a teacher at Miss Martin's School For Girls in Bath, having first attended the school as a pupil from age 12 when her father died unexpectedly and she ran away from being a burden to the family for whom he worked. Susanna's whole life has revolved around the school but when Frances, the Countess of Edgecombe and a former teacher (whose story is told in "Simply Unforgettable") invites Susanna to stay with her for two weeks Susanna agrees. On her first day at the Countess's estate she meets up with a group from the neighbouring house which includes a visitor, Viscount Whitleaf. The name Whitleaf is anathema to Susanna because of events in her past (which aren't initially explained) and so she treats him rather rudely. Besides, Peter Whitleaf is clearly a rather shallow young man, always flirting with young ladies and paying them lavish compliments but without too much between his ears.

However Whitleaf finds Susanna interesting, partly because she isn't flirting with him, and he strikes up a friendship with her. However at the end of the two weeks she returns to the school having turned down his offer to become his mistress and she and Anne Jewell, another teacher, tell each other about their love lives (this scene is also in "Simply Love"). Anne Jewell has to have a shotgun wedding and when the delayed wedding breakfast takes place Susanna is shocked to discover that Viscount Whitleaf is attending it. He stretches out his time in Bath, meeting Susanna on a number of occasions, and eventually persuading her to visit her original home.

Once again this story delves deeply into the emotions and histories of our characters. Whitleaf and Susanna are both attractive people who are much loved and yet their lives aren't as carefree as they might seem. Whitleaf has never been able to take mastery of his own house since his majority, being under his mother's thumb; Susanna has not been able to deal with the grief following the suicide of her father and her feeling of rejection. The two of them find that their stories entwine and their histories are significantly linked and work together to bring about some kind of resolution.

This is an excellent read, as usual with Mary Balogh. Perhaps the subject matter isn't quite as in depth as she sometimes offers (for example in "Simply Love") and the characters seem in some ways less complex but it is still a beautiful story with a genuinely kind hero.

Originally published for Curled Up With A Good Book, www.curledup.com. © Helen Hancox 2007

Regency Mystery.......2007-06-23

If you like a well-told tale, open your mind and enjoy the mystery rather than just the romance here. If all heroes must be dark and disturbing, try another author.

Oh! where are Bloody Mary's earrings?: A mystery story at the Court of Queen Victoria

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Oh! where are Bloody Mary's earrings?: A mystery story at the Court of Queen Victoria
Robert Player
Manufacturer: Gollancz
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Unknown Binding

General | Mystery & Thrillers | Subjects | Books
ASIN: 0575014296

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Cast No Shadow
Mary Lovell
Manufacturer: Random House Value Publishing
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover
ASIN: 0517107945
Release Date: 1993-05-30

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